


Taking the time (Happy Palentine's Day!)

by Grace_d



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Family Feels, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, May Parker (Spider-Man) & Tony Stark Coparenting Peter Parker, Peter is stressed about Valentine's day, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Uncle Happy Hogan, Uncle James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Valentine's Day, alternative celebrations of love, friendship is just as valid as romance people, palentine's day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:27:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22731736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grace_d/pseuds/Grace_d
Summary: “Hm. Let me think. Do I want to celebrate a holiday based on a misrepresentation of a Catholic history and a capitalist agenda designed for vapid hetero couples?” MJ pauses, glances up around the table, then back down. “I’d rather sit at home, alone, in the dark.”Apparently, MJ does NOT like Valentine's day. But even as Peter and Ned plan their usual Palentine's friendship extravaganza, Peter is sure that there's something more there. Luckily, Peter has a team of adults in his life, all willing to dispense helpful, and less helpful, advice on Valentine's day, friendship and love.And who knows, Peter might even end up dispensing some wisdom back to them.
Relationships: Happy Hogan & Peter Parker, May Parker (Spider-Man) & Peter Parker, Michelle Jones & Peter Parker, Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Peter Parker & Pepper Potts, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 31
Kudos: 115
Collections: Irondad and Spiderson Valentine's Day Fic Exchange 2020





	Taking the time (Happy Palentine's Day!)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Starkaroosstuff](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starkaroosstuff/gifts).



> Happy Valentine's Day, Les!  
> I hope you had a wonderful day, with all the love you deserve. Thanks for being part of my fic fam!!

“Hey Happy,” Peter starts hesitantly, “if I was thinking about, um,” 

Happy meets his eyes in the rear-view mirror. Peter’s already skating on thin ice, knowing that usually the taciturn driver tolerates his chattering so long as he’s not required to respond. Happy’s eyes cut back to the heavy midtown traffic, and Peter forges ahead, 

“for Valentine’s day-“ 

“Hang on a second, Parker.” Happy says. He holds up one finger, meeting Peter’s eyes again, then reaches forwards to fiddle with something on the dash. 

The partition between the front and back of the car begins to rise. 

Peter feels his jaw drop, protest caught in his throat as Happy raises an eyebrow. The mechanisms in the partition whirs. It rises slowly, so slowly, then seals with a soft thwump. Peter blinks. 

Well that hardly seemed fair. Peter drops back into his seat with a little more force than necessary, arms crossing across his chest. It’s not like he expected Happy to tell him what to do, but a little help or feedback would have been nice. As the slow afternoon traffic crawls by, Peter contemplates his problem further. 

He’s no closer to a solution as they pull into the carpark and Happy slows to drop him off. He bounces out of the car, and heads for the elevator. 

“Hey!” Happy’s voice stops him short, and Peter turns to see him hanging an arm out the front window. The bodyguard gestures twice, a short and impatient wave back. Peter walks slowly back to the car, and rocks on his heels. 

“Ask them to dinner.” Happy says. “Show up on time.” 

Peter feels his mouth drop open again. “Happy-“ 

“I’m dispensing wisdom here, Parker, ears open, mouth shut. Take them somewhere you already know, somewhere you like. Bonus points if the staff at the place like you. Bring your date a flower, just one, bouquets are a pain in the ass to lug around.” 

“Uh-“ Peter doesn’t know what to say. 

That was dating advice. Dating advice from Happy. 

“Okay. I’m done.” Happy waves him off. “Shoo.” 

Peter hikes his bag on his shoulder as the Audi pulls away. He slowly walks across the concrete parking garage to the lift, and absently pushes the button for up. Happy’s advice was, fine, actually, surprisingly good. Something he’d find useful even, if he was trying to organise a date. 

That’s not exactly his problem. 

He trudges into the lab, greeting FRIDAY and the bots, before he sits down at his desk to get into his homework. Mister Stark is, somewhere, at a meeting, and usually shows up around five. There’s a routine now for his fake-turned-real internship, once a week lab time and Tony occasionally crashing a takeaway home dinner with May. Their initially icy relationship was settling, especially after May met Pepper, and Peter mostly tries not to think about the fact that they all text one another on the regular. 

About him. 

And other stuff. 

They send each other GIFs. 

So weird. 

“Hey, Webs.” 

The unfamiliar voice causes Peter to startle, tipping on the stool he’s perched upon. Colonel Rhodes smirks. 

“Thinking pretty hard there.” The Colonel steps into the room, holding a folder full of paperwork. 

“Hey.” Peter says, and stands to shake the man’s offered hand. “Just, physics stuff.” 

It’s maybe the third time he’s met Colonel Rhodes, War Machine, he reminds himself, as War Machine leans against the bench, places down the paperwork in his hands and looks at Peter’s homework. 

“High school physics really has you stumped?” Colonel Rhodes says, as he picks up a pencil and puts down a few marks on Peter’s physics proofs. “Tony says you could be applying for early entry to college if you wanted.” 

The twists and turns of Peter’s life just got more and more unbelievable. War Machine is looking over his homework. War Machine knows about his grades. 

“You distracted by something in particular?” War Machine, Colonel Rhodes, asks. 

War Machine is checking in with him. 

Peter’s mouth moves before his brain catches up. 

“I have this friend, Michelle. Um. MJ.” He corrects himself. 

“A special friend?” Colonel Rhodes raises an eyebrow. 

“I- Yes but- what?” Peter feels lost, and the conversation hasn’t even started. 

Colonel Rhodes grins. “And Sunday is Valentine’s day. Listen, Peter, don’t overthink it. Standard stuff is fine. A nice card, chocolates, movies and a shared milkshake. Don’t mess with the classics.” 

Peter frowns, that wasn’t where he was going with his sentence. He opens his mouth to explain, and is instead interrupted by Mister Stark, strolling in, and doing so with a loud groan. 

“Platypus, please don’t tell me those are more DoD committee papers.” Mister Stark yanks off his tie, and throws it onto the bench. “Hey, Kid. Have you eaten?” 

Peter’s head ducks as Mister Stark reaches across and absent-mindedly ruffles his hair. Peter flattens it back down. It is, on so many levels, still unbelievable to Peter how his life works, as the rest of his evening progresses to an early dinner with Iron Man and War Machine, and then working with the two of them to refine the flight stabilisation systems for the Iron suits. 

Even more unbelievable, when Colonel Rhodes suddenly glances at his watch, notes the time, and says, “You staying the night, Pete?” and Mister Stark casually responds, “his room isn’t quite set up yet,” then looks at up at Peter and adds, “if May’s fine with it you’re welcome to stay in the guest.” 

Apparently, today’s going to be a day for overwhelming information for Peter Parker, the universe says. 

Staying at the tower overnight seems a step too far, and Peter doesn’t even have a toothbrush here, he thinks as he stammers out an excuse. The elevator ride down is silent, but not awkwardly so, just the end of the day, winding-down type silence. Mister Stark has his hands deep in his pockets, his button up, which was crisp at the start of the evening, is now crumpled. 

The drive home is louder, Peter’s thoughts are drowned out a little by Mister Stark’s vintage rock playlist and his out of synch air drumming. It’s not until they pass the turn off to Midtown Tech that Peter’s problems come back to mind. 

He sneaks a glance at Mister Stark. Maybe he could ask him? So far, Happy and Rhodey’s advice wasn’t really helpful, but maybe if he could explain the situation better? Peter contemplates this. Or maybe Tony Stark could care less about high school drama. Peter shrinks down in his seat. 

Mister Stark clears his throat. 

“Something on your mind, Pete?” Mister Stark asks. 

“Huh? Uh, no.” Peter says 

“You sure?” Mister Stark shoots a quick look across at him. “You’ve been opening and closing your mouth like a goldfish for the past two kilometres. I’m thinking of giving you a new superhero moniker. The incredible Goldfish kid.” 

“I have not.” Peter says automatically, and crosses his arms across his chest again. 

Mister Stark just hums. 

Peter’s saved from any more questions by the turn off to their apartment block. He grabs his bag, scooping up the stuff spilling out of it and zipping up the backpack. 

“Thanks, Mister Stark,” Peter says enthusiastically, and grabs the door handle. 

“Wait, hang on.” Mister Stark fiddles squirms a bit, then pulls out his wallet. He rifles through it, then hands Peter a stack of bills. “Here you go. For the weekend. I know you and Ned have that date.” 

“It’s not a date, Mister Stark.” He says faintly, trying to calculate how much money the man just handed him. He knew he was a billionaire but, whoa. 

“I mean, you can call it whatever you want.” Mister Stark waves a hand, then returns it to rub against his beard. “I, uh, support you whichever way. Blow the cash. Be extravagant. Go all out.” 

“It’s not a date, Mister Stark.” Peter repeats the sentence again, stressing the words. “There’s lots of different times of love, right? It’s just something that Ned and I do, every year. It’s not romantic, it’s like- ” Peter takes a deep breath, and tries to work out what he’s explaining to his mentor, “it’s like, you’ve got to take the time to show that you care.” 

Silence falls in the car for a second as Mister Stark continues to rub his beard. 

“Anyway.” Peter looks at the wad of money slowly drooping in his sweaty hand. “I don’t need any gold coins, but thanks anyway.” 

He shoves the money back at Mister Stark, and hops out of the car, swinging it closed. 

As the door smacks shut, he hears Mister Stark mutter. “Alright, hedgehog, I’ll just put it into your college fund then.” 

“Wait,” Peter grabs the door again. The car rolls forwards. “My what? Wait- WAIT, Mister Stark!” 

The man leans across the passenger side door, winks at Peter, then revs the engine. 

“My WHAT?” Peter yells as the car zooms off. 

* * *

“Four hundred dollars, dude, you could have bought so many Lego sets.” Ned says, as he plonks down at his desk. 

Peter doesn’t bother responding, knowing that it’s a circular argument with Ned, knowing that his best friend wouldn’t have taken the money either, Lego sets or no. He drops his bag beside the lunch table, his chair scraping as he pulls it in. He and Ned trade their apples, same as every day at lunch, although he can’t even remember when or why they started doing it. Ned’s apple just always tastes better than his own. 

MJ pauses, tracking their apple swap, then slides into a seat down from them. Peter frowns as Ned moves on to reciting his list of top ten priority new Lego sets. This week, she started doing that again, sitting just separate from them, in homeroom and lunch, and Peter can’t work out why, but he thinks it has something to do with- 

“Are you coming to the Valentine’s day dance at the Y?” Betty pops up beside their table 

MJ snorts. She’s looking intensely at her notebook, scribbling into it with a heavy hand. 

“Sorry, Betty,” Ned apologises for both of them, “but you know, we’ve got plans.” 

MJ snorts again. 

“Michelle?” Betty looks hesitantly over at MJ, who doesn’t even glance up. “Will you be coming?” 

“Hm. Let me think. Do I want to celebrate a holiday based on a misrepresentation of a Catholic history and a capitalist agenda designed for vapid hetero couples?” MJ pauses, glances up around the table, then back down. “I’d rather sit at home, alone, in the dark.” 

Betty casts an uncertain look at Peter and Ned again, then leaves. 

Peter frowns. 

This is what he’s been trying to work out. MJ has pretty strong beliefs, and she doesn’t hesitate to share them bluntly, the whole Thanksgiving protest comes to mind, but she’s rarely ever mean, or at least, mean on purpose. But as Valentine’s day creeps closer and closer, she’s getting more and more short. With everyone. 

But particularly him and Ned. 

She keeps scribbling in her notebook. There’s something about the frantic speed of her hand movements that makes Peter sure she’s upset. 

“So on Saturday night-“ Ned starts, and MJ’s eyes cut over to them for a brief second, just long enough for Peter to catch her eye, and see something that almost looks like hurt in them. 

“MJ,” Peter interrupts Ned, “do you want to come with us?” 

MJ doesn’t look over, but she grips the pencil a little tighter. “To what?” She asks, like she hasn’t been listening in on their conversation. 

“To Palentine’s day?” Peter clarifies. 

“I don’t do Star Wars.” she says bluntly. 

“Not Palpatine,” Ned corrects, not even blinking at Peter’s spontaneous invite, then goes on, gathering enthusiasm. “Palentine’s. An annual tradition elevating friendship to the equal of romantic love, and an excuse for us to eat way more discounted candy than the Surgeon General recommends. If anything it’s anti-capitalist, because we only buy the discount candy the day after-” 

“I know what your stupid friendship holiday is.” MJ shoves back her chair and gathers up her books. “Pass on the pity invite though.” 

“It wasn’t-“ Peter starts to protest, but MJ’s already left. 

He and Ned exchange a glance. 

“Dude.” Ned sighs. 

* * *

The padded bench seat in their kitchen is the best place to mope in the whole apartment. Peter lays there, his legs dangling off the edge of it, comfortable enough to lay there all morning, but uncomfortable enough to constantly remind himself he was laying there because he felt bad. 

“Everything alright, honey?” May’s voice comes from somewhere above his head. 

He opens his eyes, then sits upright. 

May shoots him a smile, as she begins rifling through the pile of shoes by the front door. She’s in what Peter knows is her favourite sweater, the one she wears when she wants to feel good, cherry red, and her best pair of jeans. 

“Going somewhere?” Peter slides from the bench, and goes to help. 

“Brunch with Pepper.” May replies, then pulls out a black heel with a crow of triumph. Peter hunts for the second shoe, pushing aside trainers he knows don’t fit him anymore but he can’t bear to throw out, and a tangled mix of May’s summer sandals. 

“For Galentine’s day?” Peter asks. 

May has started hunting in the living room. 

“I guess,” May’s voice is muffled as she looks under the couch. “But more like, somehow the first Saturday either of us have had free in two months. I found it! Call off the coast guard, I found it!” 

Peter abandons his search, mentally promising May he’ll sort out the shoes issue later, as a footsteps stop just outside the apartment door. 

Peter swings it open without checking through the peephole. 

“Hi, Miss Potts!” Peter says. 

May echoes the sentiment from deep in the apartment. Pepper steps into the apartment. She’s rugged up in a jacket, but peeking out underneath are jeans, and a pair of sneakers. It’s one of those moments. The CEO of Stark Industries in his apartment, wearing sneakers. 

“Hi Peter,” she smiles warmly at him. “Cool shirt. I have the same one.” 

Peter glances down at his chemistry shirt, then back at Pepper. 

“Swear on my life.” Pepper holds up three fingers like an oath. “It makes me laugh.” 

May comes out into the living room, heels and wallet in hand. 

“Peter, you gotta check the door before you just open it. I know you’ve got your, spidey whatever, but you’re gonna give me a heart attack.” May presses a kiss to the side of his forehead, which turns into a heavy lean, as she hops into her heels. “You going to be alright?” 

Peter nods. Maybe he’ll do a short patrol, or get started on his chem assignment, or, if he’s being honest with himself, he’ll just lay back down on the bench. 

“Is everything okay?” Pepper glances between them. 

”High school is hard.” May says. 

Peter wanders back over to the bench and flops down with a groan, pressing his hands to his face. He just doesn’t know what to do about MJ. He’s sure she wants to be involved, but she shot them down so hard yesterday. He’s going to spend the entire day feeling guilty. 

He can almost hear the silent conversation that’s happening above his head. 

“Why don’t you come with us?” May suggests. 

“No,” Peter says, ”it’s okay, you go have fun.” 

“Peter, kid, you’re breaking my heart.” Pepper says, and for a second she sounds strangely like her fiancé. 

“Up you get.” May whacks the side of his knee. “We’re going to brunch.” 

* * *

Peter fiddles with the corners of his plaid button up as they walk down the wooden hallway. They’re in a library, he thinks, but he was definitely promised waffles or the possibility of pancakes, and both the women are in jeans, so whatever this fancy building is, it can’t be too fancy. 

The hostess handles the extra addition to their booking with ease, and they follow her through the heavy wooden doors. 

“Whoa!” Peter breathes. 

They are in a library, or something designed like one, but it’s also crowded with tables and people quietly chatting. He follows Pepper and May to their seat, looking around. 

“Wait. Is that Happy?” Peter blurts out as he drops into a seat. 

The man is sitting at a table in the corner scanning a newspaper. 

Pepper smiles, and brushes her hand on Peter’s shoulder before sitting herself. 

“This is our security compromise.” She explains as she neatly folds a napkin from the table onto her lap. “Happy says he picks this place because of the controlled entrances, but between you and me, he likes it here.” Pepper winks at Peter. “The china they use is very elegant.” 

Peter tries to imagine the burly Happy sipping from a teacup. 

“He’s a many of many contradictions, that Happy.” May says with a smile. 

Said man looks up, as if he knows he’s being discussed. He nods subtly to their table, eyes lingering on them for a moment, then goes back to scanning the paper. 

“So, Peter,” Pepper asks after they’ve ordered their meals, “Trouble at school?” 

“Oh. No, nothing it’s fine.” Peter says. 

Pepper and May exchange a glance, the suppressed upturn at the corners of their mouths eerily identical. 

“Seriously.” Peter urges. “Pretend I’m not even here.” 

“Okay.” May turns to Pepper, and pours them both a cup of tea. “I’m so worried about Peter lately. I think it’s the hormones. There's this girl-” 

“May!” Peter buries his face in his hands. 

“What!” She asks innocently. “You said pretend you weren’t even here!” 

“I, ugh!” Peter bites his lip in frustration. “It’s this whole thing with MJ.” 

“MJ?” Pepper asks. 

Peter explains the whole deal, starting from MJ’s recent transition from using loser as a casual insult to something that seems just be a gender neutral placeholder for “guys” or “you two” when she talked to Ned and Peter, her gradual and increased friendship with them in and then out of school. He ends with the weirdness this week surrounding Valentine’s day. 

“I just wanna fix whatever’s going on!” Peter ends his explanation by dropping his elbows heavily onto the table. Silverware clatters against fine china. He tucks his hands guiltily under the table. 

“Tony said you and Ned were doing something for Valentine’s day?” Pepper asks. 

“Well, yeah, we do Palentine’s day. It’s like heaps of fun! Schedule is variable, but usually some combination of a divey place for dinner, no sleep, a sci fi movie marathon, and as much discount chocolate as we can fit in our bellies over the course of fourteen hours.” 

May and Pepper exchange another glance. 

“And when you invited her, what was her exact response?” Pepper asks. 

Peter thinks back. “She said, ‘I know what your stupid friendship holiday is’.” 

“Do you think it’s possible MJ is feeling left out?” May asks gently. 

“But we invited her!” Peter protests. 

“Peter, heaven knows I love you, and Ned, and his funny hats, but when you and him are together, it can be a little-” May searches for a word, “intense. You boys have so much history together, sometimes your conversations consist entirely of half formed inside jokes created at last week’s sleepover.” 

“Well, if she came to the sleepovers, she’d know the jokes.” Peter sinks back in his chair, crossing his arms across his chest, but mostly, feeling like a giant jerk. “So I need to make her feel more included? How do I do that?” 

“You might need to alter some of these traditions of yours, or at least, make a little space for MJ in them, if she’s going to be part of your group.” May suggests. 

Pepper jumps in, “for example, what does MJ like to do?” 

Peter thinks. “I don’t know. Um, read books, do art? Protest? Watch videos about forensic sciences?” 

“Well, maybe you could include some of those in the Palentine’s schedule, and MJ will feel a little more like you want her there.” Pepper says. 

“I guess.” Peter chews on his lip. “Thanks, May, Pepper.” 

Any further scrutiny of ‘The MJ Issue’ is dissuaded by the arrival of brunch, and as Peter plows through a stack of waffles, and the bowl of fruit salad May nudges his way, the adult’s conversation turns to work stuff, and a book they’re both reading. 

Peter shoots Ned a quick text. _How do you feel about doing something different for Palentine’s day this year?_

Ned’s response is instantaneous. _Sure wht do u have in mind?_

Peter bites his lip in frustration. That’s the problem, he doesn’t know yet. May and Pepper are still deeply involved in dissecting the potential meanings of the last words of the protagonist in their novel. 

Peter excuses himself from the table, and then wanders over to Happy. The man tips his head to the seat across from him, and as Peter sits, 

Happy separates the newspaper, handing Peter a section. 

“Aw, the comics, really Happy?” Peter whines. 

Happy holds up the business section. 

“No thanks, I’m good.” Peter backpedals. 

He skims the cartoons, then his eyes land on an article in the arts section. Inner city graffiti tourism grows. An idea springs in Peter’s mind. 

Something different to do with MJ and Ned today. He pulls out his phone to message Ned about it. Happy interrupts him. 

“While I remember, this is from the boss.” Happy pulls a bright yellow envelope from his pocket, and slides it across the table to Peter. There’s no name on the front, or the back. 

“What-” Peter asks. 

“I was supposed to give it to Pepper, and she was supposed to give it to you.” Happy says, then raises his paper again. 

Peter rips the envelope open. It’s a card, the front of it red and blue with webs. Peter’s eyes boggle. 

JUST SWINGING BY TO SAY “HI” VALENTINE! 

Oh my god. They’re making Spider-Man Valentine’s day merchandise now? He flips open the card. 

_I think you’re web-tacular_ is printed on the inside. Around it is crowded Mister Stark’s square print. 

_Everybody loves our friendly neighborhood spider man, but personally, I'm more fond of the kid behind the mask._

_Lucky to know you, web-head._

_Tony_

A calm warmth spreads through Peter as he tucks the card back into the envelope and pulls out his phone. 

_Thanks for the card Mister Stark,_ he texts, _I’m pretty lucky to know you too, shell head._

_Such cheek._ Tony replies, _and on Pal-entine’s day!_

_Are you free later today?_ Peter asks. He still needs to organise the thing for MJ, but maybe Mister Stark can help. 

_Can be free now?_ Tony responds. 

_Okay. Could you pick me up please? At brunch with May and Pepper._ Peter shoots a look at the bodyguard across from him. _And Happy._

The three dots of Mister Stark’s loading conversation hover, and then- 

_YOU ALL WENT TO BRUNCH WITHOUT ME??_

* * *

“So.” Mister Stark tucks his face into his high collar against the chill, as Peter scrolls through instagram. “Let me get this straight. We’re wandering around Queens, looking for street art, so that you can come back in two hours, and do the same thing again.” Peter’s phone shuts down. 

“Oh for Pete’s sake,” Tony curses, and hands Peter his own phone, instagram already open and ready to go. “I wish you’d let me give you a new phone.” 

“I don’t want MJ to think this is last minute!” Peter protests. 

He finds another tag, points, and they set off down the road. 

“It is last minute, Pete.” 

“She doesn’t have to know that.” Peter says, as they come up on the side of a building, painted deep blue and purple, a woman weeping in the middle of the wall. They stop short of it, craning their necks to get a whole view of the art. Peter takes a step back, and Mister Stark grabs him before he can stumble off the curb. 

“Okay, that one’s pretty cool.” Mister Stark admits. 

So far, so good, on the walking tour of graffiti in their neighbourhood that Peter’s mapping out. Importantly, also along this route is Peter and Ned’s favourite diner, and the video store where they can rent DVD’s from. He’s thinking tonight’s movie marathon can be a joint effort in selection. MJ already replied to his text, and agreed to meet up with them at two, sounding slightly less disinterested than she had for the past week, and Ned’s on board with whatever. Peter’s pretty confident this Palentine’s day plan is going to work. 

“One more, and that’s eight.” Peter says with satisfaction, and they follow the tags to the next point. 

“Explain to me what’s so special about the number eight again?” Mister Stark asks, scanning the street ahead for the next piece of artwork. 

“That’s how many months it’s been since Michelle said we were her friends.” 

Mister Stark makes an odd noise, and Peter turns, about to ask what’s wrong, only to find his head squished into the man’s coat, one of Mister Stark’s hands wrapped around his shoulder. Mister Stark’s cheek rests briefly against the top of Peter’s head. 

“What’s up, Mister Stark?” Peter’s voice is muffled by the man’s thick wool coat. 

If he didn’t know any better this would almost feel like a hasty hug. The man gives his shoulders a quick squeeze. 

“Nothing.” Mister Stark sniffs, and releases Peter. 

“Anyway, thanks for doing this today with me.” Peter says, as Mister Stark starts to walk off. 

“Yeah, well, some kid taught me a pretty good lesson about money and time.” Mister Stark spins back, and winks at Peter. 

Peter feels a flush of inner happiness that wards off the winter chill. 

“Anyway, should I drop you at Ned’s?” Mister Stark asks, “I could introduce myself. As a Palentine’s day present.” 

“See, now you’re getting into the spirit!” Peter says. He ducks his head to hide the grin coloring his features, as he catches up to Mister Stark, and their strides fall into step with each other. 

“Plus,”Mister Stark adds, “it’s been a while since someone fainted over me.” 

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Big thanks to Susan (@ferretshark) as always for being an awesome beta and great support, and giving me the gold coins line, and to Polly (@coconutknightshade) for being such an enthusiastic beta, with ALL THE CAPITOLS, and the most incredible letter inside the Valentine's card from Tony to Peter that my brain couldn't think of myself. 
> 
> Thanks to Lexie for organising, you were amazing at supporting us all!! 
> 
> Readers, I hope you enjoyed it, feel free to yell in the notes!  
> If you want to yell about technicalities about which day is supposed to be Valentine's day and which day is supposed to be Palentine's day- don't. I know I mixed them up, but SUSPEND your knowledge of dates xx


End file.
